My Missing Pokémon Pieces in 2020

It's almost the end of the year - harrowing as it may be - and I've got a slew of posts lined up in order to wrap up this year. This post could be considered to be one of them, and though that wasn't the original intention, it still works for that purpose. This harrowing year has been one of many misses for Pokémon or otherwise, and among those misses are some of my own, even in relation to what has been missed by Pokémon. They're the "missing pieces" (in line with a similar discussion on them last year) of what has transpired with me and Pokémon this year.

Among some of those pieces are a few related to Pokémon Go. A few months ago, I wrote about the possibility of EX Raids being considered to have gone by the wayside, and not much has changed since then, except that even today there may still be new Gyms for them. It's been a long time since I also participated in and made a write-up on them, and I would say they added personality to this blog. Then there are the raid group tournaments, which as I've noted for the SLA theme this month, has been absent for some time as well. Unlike EX Raids, these can still take place, but they depend on the whim of my raid group, which seems to be presently non-existent as well. Without them, there is certainly a missing aspect to this blog and they become missing pieces in general.

Cosplay too has been practically absent, except for certain occasions. It turned out that those became one-off trials, and after that, they became absent again. One of my very good friends also noted this absence and it also became aggravating for my friend, yet it's especially aggravating for me since cosplay is one of the ways I express my interest in Pokémon. Closely associated with cosplay is my involvement with Pokémon music, specifically the singing of them by karaoke or otherwise with bands. Even with a commendable interest in singing and minor experience doing so, it becomes a veritable outlet for my Pokémon appreciation. Likewise, not much has changed since an in-depth discussion last April on these matters. They remain as gaping holes and therefore missing pieces as well.

Perhaps a really big missing piece (or several pieces) for me personally involves the main series games, specifically of the eighth generation, which I still have not dealt with because of missing them and their console, the Nintendo Switch. Given that I've discussed them a number of times, particularly on two separate occasions, I'm still interested in finding and fitting in these missing pieces. More importantly, I did already plan for them, though the plan for now has to be frozen due to other pressing needs and interests. Having enjoyed the main series games since the beginning, this is indeed also a big missing piece, considering this and the fact it has lasted from even before this year. It becomes imperative to right the ship at the earliest opportunity possible.

My wrap-up lineup for this year on this blog seems to have started early. Yet at this point in the year, it's approaching late as late could be. For that, it seems appropriate to detail the "missing pieces" for my year as above; granted, they may also be "missing pieces" for any Pokémon fan in general this year, but in my case, the "missing" quality seems even more evident. The next major mission in the upcoming year would then become to find those missing pieces and for Pokémon to turn some of its misses into hits to recover from this harrowing year.

One year ago: More on Sunner and Me

Two years ago: Wallpaper: 20th Movie - Remember and Continue

Three years ago: The First: Episode 001 - "Pokémon - I Choose You!"